Lately, I’ve tried to make recipes using ingredients already on hand. I’ve had a huge bag of lentils sitting in my pantry for a few weeks, so I figured it was time to put them to use. I decided to make this simple and delicious recipe for spiced lentil tacos with an adobo chile sour cream.

Upon each bite, the palette is hit with the mild taste of the cumin soaked lentils, followed by the kick of the adobo chile sour cream. These tacos are perfect for weekday nights when cooking a gourmet meal isn’t in the cards.

Natalie, you can easily make the tacos vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth–I just didn’t have any in the pantry. :)

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Ever since our family friend Estela made this salsa, we’ve been hooked. The key ingredient is the spicy and smokey dried chile peppers that she brings back for us when she visits home in Mexico.

Though incredibly spicy, we never remove the seeds from the peppers, as that’s where you get all the flavor–that’s even coming from the girl who has a very low spice tolerance.

The salsa is delicious plain with tortilla chips, or in burritos, tacos, eggs (really anything). I’m sure this recipe would still be delicious with dried chiles from the states, as most of you aren’t able to run to the store in Mexico, but the authentic chiles really do make a difference. :)

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Corn on the cob was my archenemy in middle school. As many people know, eating corn with braces doesn’t bode well. Therefore, my mom being the lovely mother she was (and is), always sliced it off of the cob for me. But alas, I eventually got my braces off and the eating process became much easier.

Though I love classic-style corn on the cob with salt and butter, this honey-ancho chile butter really spices things up. It’s sweet with a pleasant kick from the chile powder. This corn is a great side dish for any summer meal.

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